I bet when you think of California agriculture, you don’t automatically think of apples.  While the weather in the Pacific Northwest favors apple production, the climate in upper Northern California is ideal for a few apple varieties.  Yay us!

The apple harvest window can be small, so make sure you start looking for them in your local stores soon.  I found these beauties at Costco!

Crisp, tart and delicious, these Granny Smiths were the perfect canvas for my obsession with finding an alternative to the classic apple pie.  

Don’t get me wrong, I love pie just as much as the next guy, but sometimes you need to mix it up a bit.  

Get creative…

Get crazy…

Enter the fried apple ring!  

It looks and cooks just like an onion ring, but tucked inside is a soft, sweet apple. They are perfect as an after-school snack for the kids or a fun weekend dessert with friends.  I made a caramel dipping sauce that took it over the top, but feel free to dip into chocolate or just eat plain, sprinkled with powdered sugar.  

Trust me, you can’t go wrong with these.

I started by slicing my apples with the skin on, into 1/4 inch slices.  If you have a mandoline, you can get this done super easy and quick.  

Next, take a small cookie cutter and remove the core and seed portion, to form a nice ring.

Dip the rings into your prepared batter (recipe below) 

Fry in hot oil for a few minutes per side until golden brown

Dust with a generous amount of powdered sugar

I can’t even stand it!  

Seriously, these are so good!  And what a fabulous treat to welcome in Fall.  Especially using California apples!

Dip your ring into your favorite dipping sauce. 

And enjoy!

Here is the recipe for ya…